Identical
by Elfique
Summary: All lives have their brief struggles and strife. These two lives were fated by oath and curse: this is their tale. (Amrod and Amras no slash) !Complete!
1. Blood on the mind

Identical

_Note: For a change this is important so please read it!_

_1) __Each chapter is a different twin but they aren't fixed: for example the first chapter isn't decidedly from Amrod's POV or Amras' POV – it can be either. But the second chapter is from the POV of the other twin. I hope that is understandable…_

_2) __When they say 'my brother' without any indication to which of the seven brothers they are talking about their twin. _

_These are mostly short 500wordish chapters but the last two are longer. Review and you shall be granted the next chapter or two (back to emotional bribery again heh heh)_

Blood on the mind

Standing on deck I look out into the sea. No red, just blues, greens, greys. No red. Not like my hands, nor the wood of this ship. I sense my brother move to stand beside me; I look at him, a mirror image. We both feel the same; I can tell.

Though the decks were ordered to be cleaned, though we have scrubbed at our hands and swords and armour…the colour is still there, clouding our vision. I would weep – but is this not what we wanted? Is this not what we swore to do? No. It is not – I did not swear to kill my people, to steal and ruin.

Our other brothers deal with the events in their own ways; but we stay together, we will help each other. I think of what we have left behind, it seems such a great loss…but there will be more to see, more to do. And there will be vengeance. What was ours will be taken back, then maybe our father will calm, maybe his fire with be satisfied when his jewels are reclaimed. Maybe.

I hear my father calling us together for a talk, I do not wish to talk, I do not want to see what my brothers feel. I look at my father briefly, he seems emotionless: how can one who has a spirit of fire have a frozen heart? I study my feet, the wood of the deck…anything but looking up and seeing their faces. I am worried at what I may see…if they are not suffering the same guilt, I do not know what I will do.

Father reassures my eldest brother, I listen to his words. They bring no comfort to me: so unlike the times when I was a child who could not sleep and when I was burnt by the leaping flames of the forge. I fear it is now my father that will burn me, I do not wish for that.

"My sons, you must not despair! We did what was needed so we could wreak our vengeance, so we could reclaim the Silmarils. An oath we swore, and from that oath we must not stray."

Ah yes, the oath. Dare I question it? It is too late now, I made that decision, and as much as I hate to agree with my father: I cannot go back on my word, however rash or hasty a decision it may have been.

After more words with our father, concerning plans and fiery discussion we move away again, back to our thoughts.

"Do you regret it?" I turn to my brother who, as always, is beside me.

"Who can say? We have done one deed that will haunt me for my life –will there be more deeds that are the same? Will there be vengeance?" I answer. He nods in understanding.

The future cannot be guessed and the past cannot be dwelt on.

My brother suddenly straightens and peers into the distance, I see the same sight.

"Land."


	2. Trapped

Identical

_Note: For a change this is important so please read it!_

_1) __Each chapter is a different twin but they aren't fixed: for example the first chapter isn't decidedly from Amrod's POV or Amras' POV – it can be either. But the second chapter is from the POV of the other twin. I hope that is understandable…_

_2) __When they say 'my brother' without any indication to which of the seven brothers they are talking about their twin. _

_Review and you shall be granted another chapter (back to emotional bribery again heh heh)_

Trapped

The small flames begin lick around my feet, the white wood disappearing into oranges, golds, yellows. I am trapped. I cry for help, my father cannot hear me – where are my brothers?! Panic grips me and I desperately search around for an escape route. Is this a punishment for what I have done? Will I burn with this stolen ship, with my guilt, with the blood of others on my hands? I find myself backed up against the mast; the fire is closing in on me.

Agony. Pain. Heat.

I scream; at last my father hears. He turns and sees me, but it is too late now.

I am jolted back into reality; I wipe sweat from my forehead and breathe deeply. My brother looks over concernedly at me

"Bad dream?" he asks. Incapable of speech, I simply nod at him. I feel slightly foolish; being scared by a dream…but it was so real, so horrifying.

"I burnt," I mumble to him "with the ships…it was a punishment…father burnt the ship I was on – he mustn't have known" A small look of recognition and understanding passes over my brothers face – does he too worry our fathers flame has burnt us?

"We cannot let the past haunt us," he begins to say, struggling to keep his voice steady "we must always think to the future, think of our purpose here."

I want to say 'but what of our eldest brother? He was our future after father was slain…where is he now?' but I cannot bring myself to mention him, the loss of him has struck us all heavily.

"So much death…" I murmur absently, and now he cannot think of anything to say. The loss of life plagues us both, so many dead…and we are to blame. "I wish there could be peace between the houses of the Noldor again," I say bitterly.

"Ye, but there are still many days and many deeds before us. A lot can change if there is strength…"

His words trail off and we are both left dreaming and wishing of a change of the past or a peaceful future.

A sudden bang from the door hitting the wall breaks us from our thoughts.

"Hurry! Our brother is rescued!"

We do not pause, only run out and follow until we reach the room where our eldest brother lies. Our valiant cousin is there and despite the injured and deathly state of our dear brother, circumstances for once seem to be improving.

We all work to restore our brother's health, it has taken a few days to get him up and walking but once he was ready there was no keeping him in bed. He says the loss of his hand does not bother him, that he can carry on, but I cannot bear to look at the space where a hand should be. And this day, the houses shall be reunited again! However the joy comes with some anger and grievances; the noble title of King…shall be passed to Fingolfin. This action of my brother caused some strife between the seven of us, and of our people no doubt but myself and my twin will live with this decision. It will not be the worst thing we will have to regret or look back on with sorrow.


	3. Hunt for vengeance

Identical

_Note: For a change this is important so please read it!_

_1) __Each chapter is a different twin but they aren't fixed: for example the first chapter isn't decidedly from Amrod's POV or Amras' POV – it can be either. But the second chapter is from the POV of the other twin. I hope that is understandable…_

_2) __When they say 'my brother' without any indication to which of the seven brothers they are talking about their twin. _

_Review and you shall be granted another chapter (back to emotional bribery again heh heh)_

Hunt for vengeance

We try to keep our horses quiet, the two sets of hooves disturbing leaves and twigs that litter the ground could land us in trouble. I check around us, scanning the trees, the bushes, the path, danger may surround us at any time. We must be wary. It is not the first time we have done this, just myself and my brother, to ride out into the woodlands looking for a fight, for vengeance. We live for the hunt…but why hunt creatures when beasts of Morgoth ruin and destroy?

A small sound comes from the thicket on my right. I glance at my brother and my let my fingers rest upon the handle of my dagger, he silently takes hold of his bow. The horses have stopped, we wait, the tension in the air is so strong, weak would turn and run but we wait.

I throw my dagger the minute I see the bushes part ahead of us, the gurgled cry is lost as I hear the crash of armour all around us. My brother lets his arrows fly; the white fletching blurs until it is halted by bone and flesh. I slash and cut down either side of my horse, I sharply turn the horse in a circle and the foul creatures are sent sprawling backwards as the body of my horse hits them. I cover my brother as he shoots for his back could easily be a target for the enemy. We work together and soon there is silence. I examine my sword; dark, thick blood drips from it onto the floor, I smile grimly.

An arrow whistles past my ear, I see a glimpse of white and I jump slightly. There is a small thudding sound from behind me and my brother has a smile of satisfaction on his face as he lowers his bow.

In times gone by, such a shot would have been applauded on a hunt. But it is not creatures we shoot at for trophies of skill or for food, this is life or death. This is war. I wish for those days where long ago in the Blessed Realm we would hunt with all our cousins and our friends, where we would laugh and celebrate after.

I jump agilely off my horse and avoid stepping onto the gore and mess that is over the floor as I go to retrieve my dagger. It had been a good throw and I have to exert some force as I pull it from the corpse, I glimpse the disgusting face of the creature. They are truly foul, to think that…to think that elves were once…I cannot even touch upon the thought.

"Do you think - that we kill our own kin again?" I ask my brother hesitantly as I mount my horse again, he seems uncertain before he answers "No. These are creatures of evil and malice; they are not our kin." I nod at him, glad that he thinks the same as I. We are lucky that we have each other; another so like to yourself that you can confide and connect so strongly with. It means that in this world of horror and violence we are never alone.


	4. Haunted

Identical

_Note: For a change this is important so please read it!_

_1) __Each chapter is a different twin but they aren't fixed: for example the first chapter isn't decidedly from Amrod's POV or Amras' POV – it can be either. But the second chapter is from the POV of the other twin. I hope that is understandable…_

_2) __When they say 'my brother' without any indication to which of the seven brothers they are talking about their twin. _

_Review and you shall be granted another chapter (back to emotional bribery again heh heh)_

Tinuviel-luthien: They are different viewpoints, well in my view anyhoo; the chapters are just one or the other - I couldn't be bothered to figure out who!

Haunted

Some joy at last, but we are bitter and no matter how hard any of us try we cannot forget the past. I sit alongside my brothers, we watch the dancing in the hall but all of us are yet to take part. The musicians are good but one of my brothers could surpass them easily…but a harp has not graced his hands for a long time; only swords.

Some of my brothers rise to dance, I remain where I am. There is a sullen weight upon my heart that leaves me comparing all with what we once had. No gatherings will match those that we held in Valinor. A maiden approaches me and smiles brightly, her brown hair swirling lightly as she moves

"Would you care for a dance?" she asks. How many times have I been asked that in the past I wonder…I sit in silence, debating over what I should do.

"My lord?" she says questioningly.

"I am sorry," I mutter "I cannot." I see her face fall and a hurt expression creep across it and I hurriedly try to explain "I do not mean offence- it is not you! It is me. I cannot. I am sorry." I watch her turn and walk away and lean heavily back into my chair. I hear my brother sigh from next to me; we have almost become ghosts of ourselves.

I remember in Valinor when we used to know the name of every maiden attending a dance, where we would dance all night with many partners. Our brothers would say that we should choose one to court and settle down, but we were never ready, maybe if we had not left there was one whom I would have settled with. Even though she is here now and she left with us I could not approach her with the idea, for now is a time of war and I am not the person I was. I have no heart for love.

I drift out of conversation with my brothers and let thoughts occupy my mind. Blinking away memories I look back at them and study their faces; they look as though they have been planning something. "What were you talking about?" I ask.

"What we are here for," Maedhros replies solemnly and the mood amongst us seems to instantly darken. Our other two brothers approach and they know immediately what we have been discussing. I fiddle with my tunic loosely; it is always so tense when we are together discussing this. I am not fond of these talks, mainly because they feature plans of war and battle.

"We must demand what is ours!" Celegorm says forcefully "He holds one of the Silmarils which rightly belongs to us! Did we travel here and abandon all for nothing?!"

"Maybe we should discuss this elsewhere," I say quietly, I seem to be the only one who realises there are other people about. For us to have a brotherly row or 'debate' now would be very inappropriate, thankfully they listen and we leave the main hall.


	5. Hollow

Ambrussa

_Note: For a change this is important so please read it!_

_1) __Each chapter is a different twin but they aren't fixed: for example the first chapter isn't decidedly from Amrod's POV or Amras' POV – it can be either. But the second chapter is from the POV of the other twin. I hope that is understandable…_

_2) __When they say 'my brother' without any indication to which of the seven brothers they are talking about their twin. _

_Review and you shall be granted another chapter (back to emotional bribery again heh heh)_

Hollow

I see the anger clearly on our brother's face as he paces the hall, always waiting for a reply from Menegroth. "Too proud and insolent has Dior got whilst handling our jewel!" he snarls, I would flinch at the violence in his voice if he was a foe. "Calm yourself brother!" Maedhros says raising his voice from where he sits.

"I cannot be calm when he refuses to answer to us!"

"He could at least have had the courtesy to refuse us properly instead of blatantly ignoring our demands," I listen to Maglor's melodic voice; at he least can remain calm.

"He is impolite indeed, to refuse us in such a manner. Clearly the thought of owning a Silmaril has gone to his head if he would treat the sons of Fëanor thus." I say in agreement but I do not offer any suggestions as to what action we should take, I am the youngest after all.

"We need a plan, a path to follow," Caranthir says

"What is your council Maedhros?" my brother asks and then we all look to our eldest. There is a silence and he seems deep in thought. "We must strike, and strike now!" Celegorm cries out in frustration "Are we to let all we have struggled for slip through our hands?!"

"I have suffered much and we have lost and left too many things to let this chance pass by, Maedhros," Curufin says heavily, stirred by Celegorm's words. I look at my brother and I find we are both in like mind with Celegorm and Curufin; we will not risk loosing all we have struggled for.

"What is your decision brother?" I ask, eager to know. He opens his eyes and they are seemingly alight with an inner fire, much like the rest of us, "We will fight!"

* * *

I hold my sword ready in my hand, the jewel will be ours again, and we will have it! Our host is assembled behind us, waiting and ready. The defence at Menegroth have seen us and no doubt went running to alert Dior, but few made the journey…if any. The Silmaril is all that fills my mind…the precious gem that was created long ago by our father is in our grasp…only a small distance away.

Our host quickly reaches the doors at a run and they burst open as we near them; warriors issue out and we are the first to meet them. Hacking down and slashing about me I feel only threads of guilt and sorrow…I have done this before.

Then there is silence. I look around, they are all dead. There are minor casualties and deaths on our side and we hurriedly press on into the caves.

Inside the majesty and beauty is lost upon me as I advance, I cut down anything before me, anything that will hinder me. My brother is at my side as always, none have struck us and some flee before our fell faces.

I halt abruptly as a sickening cry reaches my ears; I look to my left where Celegorm held the line and see him clutching at a wound in his stomach. His hands are red, red with his own blood. Running as fast as I can manage towards him, I slice anything in my path and my brother follows closely behind. I grip Celegorm's shoulder as he begins to fall forwards, "Brother!" I cry desperately trying to keep him conscious. He sinks to his knees and quickly I kneel down on one side of him, my brother at his other side. His eyes drift around the halls and then he looks to each of us "Farewell" he mutters and then his body slumps down. I blink back tears of rage and sorrow as I stand up, I see my brothers face cloud in disbelief as he looks behind me, and in trepidation I turn.

Maglor leans over the body of Caranthir, sadness in his eyes as Maedhros stands guard nearby. Rage fills me; they withhold our jewel from us, they murder my brothers…grasping my sword tightly in both hands I launch myself back into the fray. I loose sight of my weapon and I cannot focus on targets properly, I just whirl the sword around and about. I find I have reached the walls after hacking my way through the melee. In front of me stands a maiden, pressed against the walls, terrified. Obviously she believed she could get past unscathed and unnoticed to escape, how wrong she was.

I swing my sword up and then hesitate looking at her, she stares in horror at my bloodstained face, I hear another distinct cry from the battle. Curufin! Three of my brothers dead! Choking on tears and anger I swing the sword down. A smear of blood stains the grey wall.

I do not care.

_Note: writing the last bit there made me sad : ( just so you all know heh heh. One more chapter to go...so give me reviews!!_


	6. Never alone

Identical

_Note: For a change this is important so please read it!_

_1) __Each chapter is a different twin but they aren't fixed: for example the first chapter isn't decidedly from Amrod's POV or Amras' POV – it can be either. But the second chapter is from the POV of the other twin. I hope that is understandable…_

_2) __When they say 'my brother' without any indication to which of the seven brothers they are talking about their twin. _

_Waah__ it's the last one! I really got attached to these two writing this… but this needs posting so here you go:_

Never alone

I feel so much grief, three of my brothers…and the Silmaril is in the hands of Dior's daughter who escaped the ruin of her home. The fresh mounds of earth are sparsely decorated with all we can find; the four of us that remain circle the graves of our brothers. Their skill will never be seen again, not on this earth. I never thought any of us could fall, not after Maedhros survived. The people of Dior paid dearly for the death of my brothers; my twin himself slew Dior, avenging Celegorm as he was slowly dying next to me.

We are to believe that Nimloth was also killed. Bitterly my dead brother's servants left the sons of Dior to starve and perish in the woodlands. I cannot comment on how harsh the action was as in my attempts to gain the Silmaril back I killed maids and others in their attempts to escape. Maedhros sought them out in the forests for days after we had buried the dead, desperate to console himself; but he never found them.

"I cannot bear to wreak further war upon the people that fled here. Not yet, not so soon after all the slaughter" Maglor nods in agreement with our elder brother; he is weary already of our endless toil. I look at my brother and we also nod.

* * *

After many days of avoiding the oath and trying to live without its presence we were drawn back to it. The four of us gathered again, without Celegorm to stir us to anger and wroth we managed to write peacefully to Elwing at Sirion, but we demanded the Silmaril be returned to us. As before, with her father, no reply was sent to us. And as before we prepare to take action against them.

* * *

The settlement is in sight, their fighters face ours. I sense nervousness in the air, from our host as well as theirs: the oath is driving us to all ends. My eldest brother holds his sword aloft, and then we advance. There is the usual clash as we meet them, swords ringing upon shield. I follow my brother into the fray; as he cuts a path I watch he is not harmed. Our people follow us and we have soon broken through their ranks.

"We should cut right and meet with our brothers in the middle!" I shout to my brother, he nods and we signal to our people. As we near our brothers I shout in surprise as I kill an elf before me. He bears the armour of the Noldor, others stand against us. What is happening?! I look to my brother and he seems equally confused, it appears the hearts of our people waver. They are tired of the oath and the slaughter that goes hand in hand with it. I harden my heart which is no longer a difficult task, those that are prepared to deny us the Silmaril shall fall.

Suddenly I feel a searing pain across my stomach: just where the chest plate of my armour ends there is a slash across my skin. I gasp in pain and crumple unwillingly to my knees. So this is the end, I will die without the Silmarils being reclaimed.

A sudden thought comes to me: where is my brother?! Not alone now, no I will not go to Mandos without him! "Brother" there is a weak voice from my left, with my last strength I roll over. There is a weak smile on my brother's blooded lips as our eyes meet.

Too alike to not die on the same day.


End file.
